Resistance unit



Jun. 13, 1931. J. McwEENY TAL 1,789,150

msslunca UNIT Filed Feb. 1Q 195o Patented Jan. 13, 1931 d 1,789,150

.UNITED STATES, PATENT OFFICE JOHN L. HCWEENY AND WILLIAM D. IIC-CORD, OF CHIGAGO,v ILLINOIS r RESISTANCE UNIT Application led February 1, 1930. Serial No. 485,307.A

Our invention relates' to electrical deexample, each of two independent circuits vices and more particularly to resistance required a one thousand ohm resistance, in units and the method of making the same. many instances this resistance could not be In the common radio receiving sets and taken for each circuit, 'from the same two other electrical apparatus of today, the contaps on the same unit. Obviously another U0 struction of the various technical circuits reresistance unit of one thousand ohms must quire a number of fixed resistance's for cobe provided. operation therewith. The resistance units It is our conce tion therefore, that any required may vary from a small ohmage to number of desired) resistances may be pro- 0 avery large ohmage and the resistances necesvided, all placed in the same container, in I6 sarily are very frequently disposed at nuan end-to-end relation, and located at a cen- .nerous suitable places. tral point where desired. Thus, if any trou- An object of our invention is to provide ble should arise, the repair man could be a resistance unit which comprises a pluralsaved considerable time and, labor by reaity of separate and independent resistance son of the fact that all the resistances are 00 units all withinV the same container. located at this central point.

A further object of our invention is to It is readily conceivable that two or three provide a resistance unit which has the adresistances disposed in the same container vantage of convenience in the location of vacould, in most instances, provide for all the rious different rcsistances', and in addition, resistance requirements by the simple ex- 66 the construction of the unit of a minimum pedient of applying taps at suitable points size, thus permitting the manufacturer to on each unit. reduce overall size, whenever desirable. The invention will be more readily under- A further object of our invention is to stood by reference to the accompanying provide a resistance unit thatfis of minimum drawings, in which size and simplicity of construction in the case Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a resistance unit oflresistances requiring a ground termiconstructed inV accordance with my invenna tion;

The various elements of the completed re- Fig. 2 is an end-section taken on the line sistance unit being each of an independent 2-2 of Fig. 1; 75 construction and having no electrical con- Fig. 3 is a side elevation partly in section nection to the adjacent unit, may be conshowing a plurality of resistance elements in structed to fit every conceivable-need in vathe same device; rious circuits. 'lhe resistance element-s may Fig. 4 is a plan view partly in section of each be wound in an independent manner. the unit shown in Fig. 3;

that is to say, one element may be wound vFig. 5 is a plan view of a modified form with 300 turns of .002 wire per inch, the secof our invention showing a ground connecond clement lnay be wound at the rate of. tion;

perhaps, 500 turns per inch of t)02 wire, and F ig. 6 is a sectional View taken on the line so on, each element being constructed to meet 6 6 of Fig. 5; 35 the particular requirement-s of that element Fig. 7 is a lan view partlyin section showwithin the circuit. Thus, it will be seen that inga form ogend terminal connection; Y it would be undesirable in many instances to Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a terminal take a number of ta s from a single resistconnection showing the method of applicai ance mit for the di erent circuits. If, for tion;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of the insulating shell; f

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of the metal can; and

5 Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a form of terminal connection.

By reference to the drawings, it will be seen that our invention comprises the strip-10 of liber or any other suitable non-conductor of electricity of any suitable length or width. Wound around the base 10 is the resistance wire 11 which is suitably wound with any desired size of wire, at a predetermined number of turns per inch. As best shown in Fi 8 the terminal projections, indicated genera ly by the numeral 12 are applied over the wound wire 11 andA {irmly secured thereto. The terminal projections indicated generally at 12 are formed in the manner shown 1n Fig. 11 and comprise the upstanding wire connecting' portion 13, the rebent portion 414, base portlon 15 and wing 16. The terminals 12 are applied to the resistance element b merely inserting the wound resistance into t e rebent I portion 14 and bending down the wing, 16 into contact with the wire. 'The projections 12 are usually applied at the end of the element, and

the application of the terminals 12 serves also to retain the ends of the resistance wire as shown in Fig. 8. vIn the event'a tap is desired to be taken on the resistance unit, at any point between the ends thereof, the terminal is applied in the usual manner, 'the' resistance of the adjacent sections being determined from the marginal edge of the bases 15 ofthe respective terminal projections 12. After the terminal projections 12 have been applied to Athe wound resistance, the element is placed within a fiber or non-conducting shell 17, best shown in Fig. 9. Thereafter the unit and fiber shell 17 are placed within the metal can 18, best shown in Fig. 10. The metal can 14 in the most desired form is formed as shown 1n Fig.'10, having the rebent portion 19 into `which-the resistance unit carrying the terminal projections is placed. If desired for convenience withthe use of dies,the outer can 18 may assume the shape of the insulating shell 17, which would fit thereon.

Thereafter, the assembly VAis subjected to pressure from a die and the sides of the shell 18 and insulator 17 are ilattened as shown inv Fig. 2. Thus, the completed device is ready for installation.

However, an object of our invention is to provide means for centralizing several of the resistances required in a circuit and tol accompllsh this urpose, we have devised the form v shown in ig. 3 which comprises two or more umts constructed as already described, set in an end-to-en'd relation, each element being independent, and there'being no electrical connection between the adjoming elements. A pluralit of -independent elements having the 5 termina projections 12, placed in suitable positions along the length of the resistance units and the various units are then placed within the insulator 17 and can 18 and the die then applied and the entire unit is thus fabricated. Thus, several resistances adapted to provide, by means of taps, any of the various resistances required are contained in one device, and installed in a central or convenient place. For convenience, in securing the complete unit to a foundation or frame, a continuous strip of metal 20 is placed between the insulator 17 and the can 18. Thus when the sides of the can 18 are forced downward, the strip 20 is firmly secured and will resist tendency to be displaced. If desired, the securing portion at the end of the strip 20 may be stamped as a part of the outer can 18.

In some instances one terminal of the resistance unit desired is directly connected to a v ground on the foundation or frame and a suitable form for this re uirement is shown in Figs. 5 and 6. In this orm the resistance is Wound and the clip 12 is applied to one end.,

bent ground connection 22 is applied over the. insulator 17 and contacting a short portion of the wound resistance element 11 at one end. Thus the connection 22 has a short area of contact vwith the resistance wire. The ound connection 22 is continued substantially the length of the unit'as shown in Fig. 5 to insure against pulling out in case of rough handling. As the element 22 is a plied, a die Vcloses the assembly and forces t e end p0rtion 23 of the metal can into flat contact against the connection 22. The balance of the unit is substantially of the same cross-section as shown in Fig. 2. In this form the resistance is determined from the point 21 when the insulation is continued to the end.

In some instances flat end connections at both ends are desirable instead of the vertical terminals as shown in Fig. 1 and such a form is shown in Fig.- 7.

The connection is accomplished by means of a metallic strip 24- being turned once around the wound resistance, and wound outwardly at a right angle as shown in Fig. 7. When the can and insulator are closed by the action of a die, it will be found that the strip 24 is very firmly secured within the element and will not easily pull out or become disengaged.

Thus, it will be seen that we have invented an electrical resistance unit, the size of which can be controlled by the number of turns per inch on the base, or by variations in the diameter of wire used, or the combination in a single unit of several diameters of wire and windings in independent units, all centrally located within the completed electrical unit for convenience in assembly and in repair-l The reslstance units of our invention arel simple and economical of manufacture, eficient and permanent, all the parts being protected from foreign matter.

Although modifications may be made in the invention and modifications herein disclosed, we do not wish to be limited except as indicated in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A resistance unit and voltage divider which comprises in combination, a resistanceunit formed by winding a length of resistance wire over a non-conductive base, a plurality of projecting terminals located on said resistance unit in a predetermined spaced relation, a second resistance unit of similar constructionplaced in an end-for-end contacting relation to said first mentioned unit, an insulating jacket adapted to enclose said adjacent resistance units, and a metal can adapted to substantially cover said jacket and enclosed parts.

2. A voltage divider which comprises a pair of independent, wound resistance units placed in end-for-end relation, terminal clips secured to said resistance units in predetermined spaced relation, the terminal clips connected to one of said resistance units being independent from those connected to said other resistance units, an insulating jacket adapted to cover said wound wire and a portion of saidterminal connections, and a metal can adapted to contain said jacket and enclosed parts.

3. A resistance device adapted to combine a plurality of fixed resistances comprising a length of non-conductive material adapted for use as a base, a length of resistance wire Wound over the length of said base, the turns being in a predetermined spaced relation, terminal clips secured to said resistance wire at suitable locations thereon, said` terminal clips being formed to provide an upstanding terminal, and the lower portion thereof being rebent to engage said resistance, an insulatand terminal connections, and a metal can adapted to receive said insulating shell and enclosed parts.

4. A resistance device adapted to combine a plurality of fixed resistances comprising a length of non-conducting material adapted for use as a base, Wound over the length of said base, the turns being in a predetermined spaced relation, terminal clips secured to said resistance Wire at suitable locations thereon, said terminal clips being formed to provide an upstanding ing shell adapted to receive said resistance a length of resistance wire Y terminal, and the lower portion thereof being rebent to engage said resistance, another resistance unit provided with a plurality of terminal clips being dis sed in an adjacent, independent end-for-endxielation to said first mentioned resistance, an insulating shell adaptedto receive said resistances and terminal connections, and a metal can adapted to receive said insulating shell and enclosed parts.

In testimony whereof we have aixed our signatures. y

i WM. D. MGCORD.

J. L. MOWEEN Y.

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